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The latest diabetic medication Invokana (Invokamet) has been linked to serious kidney problems, myocardial infarction (heart attacks), stroke, and ketoacidosis. These side effects are detailed at Levin Papantonio’s Invokana Lawsuit web page. Invokana (Invokamet), however, can result in other known side effects that, while not necessarily life threatening, can nonetheless have a major impact on a person’s health and quality of life.
Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar Level)
The most serious side effect from Invokana use (other than kidney failure, myocardial infarction and ketoacidosis) is hypoglycemia. Essentially, the medication does its job too well, lowering glucose (blood sugar) to dangerously low levels. Unusual hunger is one of the milder symptoms of hypoglycemia. If allowed to go unchecked, hypoglycemia can result in seizures, brain damage and even death. Over time, chronic hypoglycemia can increase the risk of heart disease as well.
Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure)
Invokana is known to cause hypotension (low blood pressure). This can result in dizziness and lightheadedness, particularly when standing up. Other symptoms of hypotension include:
Hypotension is a result of Invokana’s mechanism of action, which reduces blood volume. This also results in an elevated concentration of red blood cells, which in turn can lead to the formation of clots, raising the risk of stroke and heart attack. Another manifestation of hypotension is arrhythmia, or irregular and sometimes elevated heartbeat. Hypotension side effects are most common in elderly patients (75 years and older) taking Invokana.
Urinary Tract Infections
A less serious side effect is urinary tract infection. This was noted in approximately 5% of patients during a six-month study. Genital yeast infections were observed in 10% women and 8% of men. These rates are highest during the first six months of treatment, and then appear to level off.
Signs of uro-genital tract infections can include:
Cholesterol Issues
Invokana has been linked to a rise in LDL (so-called “bad” cholesterol) levels, which is also a risk for people with impaired kidney function.
Pancreatitis
There was also an elevated rate of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Oddly, this was more frequent at lower doses; nearly 3% of patients taking 100 milligrams experienced pancreatitis, whereas less than 1% taking 300 milligrams suffered from the condition.
Nausea, Constipation and Excessive Thirst
Nausea, constipation and excessive thirst due to dehydration were seen in over 2% of test subjects taking Invokana.
Abdominal Pain
Just under 2% of patients reported abdominal pain.
Skin Rashes and Inflammation
Researchers noted various skin rashes and inflammation in 4% of subjects.
Unusual Fatigue, Loss of Energy and/or Muscular Weakness
Approximately 2% of subjects involved in clinical studies experienced unusual fatigue, loss of energy and/or muscular weakness. This may be due to decreased levels of blood creatine levels, a substance that assists in providing physical energy. The condition results from impaired kidney function suffered by some diabetics.
Conclusion
There are very few prescription drugs that are without side effects of one kind or another. Many of the side effects of Invokana were known and reported in the wake of clinical trials. However, some of the more serious and life-threatening ones were not reported, suggesting that studies were either inadequate, or the manufacturers chose to intentionally not report them.
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